Goals & Progress

With industries ranging from healthcare to office supplies and electronics to automotive, we invent technologies that make daily life easier, safer and more fulfilling. Some of the ways we’ve applied our ideas and innovation for a more sustainable future include the following:

• In 2014 we earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® award for our worldwide energy-conservation efforts. This was the 10th consecutive year 3M received the honour, an industry first. We were also once again listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, a credit we’ve had since its inception in 1999.
• We have developed and launched an increasing number of sustainability-focused products, including energy-efficient films for tablets, Post-it® Greener Notes, air-barrier building solutions, Envision® PVC-free graphics films and an energy-saving, award-winning LED technology.
• The continued success of our Pollution Prevention Pays programme, which has prevented nearly two million tonnes of air, water and waste pollution and the reduction of our global greenhouse gas emissions by 57 per cent from 2002 to 2013 on an absolute basis (with company sales growing 30 per cent over the same period of time).
• On-going support to protect and restore vital ecosystems around the world. By working with partners such as The Nature Conservancy, the 3M Foundation has provided more than $21 million to preserve more than one million acres.
• More than $61.6 million in global cash and in-kind product donations in 2013. View More 3M Community Involvement.
• In early 2014, we joined the United Nations Global Compact. While 3M has always acted in accordance with the core values represented by the Compact, we are proud to formalise our commitment to its 10 principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption and to grow our partnership with the organisation.